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Saturday, February 5, 2011

Giuffria - Silk and Steel (Reissue / Remaster) review

Giuffria – Silk and Steel (Reissue / Remaster) review

Released on: Metal Mind Productions. Release date: Available now!

This album was clearly the forerunner to Gregg Giuffria's next project House of Lords and opening track ‘No Escape’ is a fine slice of AOR ala House of Lords with the only real difference being David Glen Eisley on lead vocals and Allan Krigger (Drums), as the other two members in Chuck Wright (Bass) and Lanny Cordola (Guitars) – who’d replaced Craig Goldy on guitar in Giuffria, went on with Gregg Giuffria to form House of Lords.

House of Lords brought in James Christian on lead vocals and Ken Mary on Drums.

‘Love You Forever’ next is a huge power ballad with a serious Journeyfeel, even to the point of Cordola’s also Neal Schon like style on here. I really believe that MCA was pushing the band to simulate Journey as close as they could. It’s still classy stuff.

The single ‘I Must Be Dreaming’ is next and it’s almost like AOR / Power Pop in sound, but of the finest calibre, it really is a catchy number. Nice solo too!

‘Girl’ is another one of those big power ballads, so full of sounds, multiple layers of lush melody. Great!

Next track ‘Change of Heart’ has an almost Survivor like sound, a slight nod towards ‘Eye of the Tiger’ through the verses, again, very catchy and some fine musicianship here throughout.

‘Radio’ picks up the pace and rightly so, as originally this was where the original vinyl album was separated or should I say separating ‘Silk’ from ‘Steel.’ Side one of the original album was ‘sub-titled’ ‘Silk’ and Side two was ‘Steel’ and the change is clear, as all the previous tracks on here were clearly in that power ballad, more pop / rock vein.

Do we keep the pace going? Well, ‘Heartache’ next is indeed power ballad territory and very slick indeed, but I certainly would not say steel, except perhaps the guitar solo!

OK, this is more like it with ‘Lethal Lover,’ heck the opening guitar riff is almost like something on a Dio album! It certainly rocks along in fine fashion. Great hook lines still. Yes it’s commercial but this is a seriously classy record and it feels much more consistent than Giuffria’s debut release if you ask me.

‘Tell it Like it Is’ next is an up tempo hard edge pop rocker, the chorus line is very pop rock, while Cordola’s playing, keep the edge here.

The original final track on this album was ‘Dirty Secret’s’ and to be honest, in a way it reminds me of a heavier ‘Dirty Laundry’(Don Henley) and there’s even some kind of a funky attitude to it in heavy way. Heck, Gregg Giuffria even plays a slight solo here, but Cordola then picks it up himself. It’s not the best Giuffria track to be honest, possibly the weakest and almost kind of filler like to be honest.

There is a bonus track here though folks in ‘Say It Ain’t True.’ It’s a fairly laid back affair and to be honest, I’d even say the production seems lacking a little compared to the rest of the album and maybe that’s why it didn’t make the original album?

To me, ‘Silk and Steel’ has an edge over the original Giuffria release and if someone was to do the same with the frist House of Lords album, I’d love to hear that!

Overall then, it’s great to get these on CD, finally! I still have both on vinyl, but it seemed when these were originally released on CD, I missed out!

I will tell you that both these reissues through Metal Mind, are very limited to just 2000, individually numbered copies and they have been pressed in gold! So there you go! Exclusive stuff eh?!